top of page
volunteer-banner.jpg

WE'RE POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS

Are you passionate about marine conservation and eager to make an impact? We need people like you. Come join us in Cozumel!

Be a change maker!

​Whether you have a few extra days in Cozumel or taking a longer sabbatical, considering giving back to the planet if you love marine life and the coral reefs.

Our work is entirely powered by volunteers and donations from the general public. As a volunteer, you'll have the opportunity to participate in hands-on coral restoration activities with Dr German. It could include tending to our coral platforms, planting corals back onto the reef, deploying sunshades to help prevent coral bleaching or assisting in research studies.

Requirements

Corals are very delicate so we need volunteers to know how to control their buoyancy and safely interact with them. You don't want to accidentally kill a coral or get stung by one!
​
To ensure this, we require our volunteers to be:

  • at least 14 years old

  • PADI/SSI Open Water Diver*

  • PADI AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Specialist*


* Don’t worry if you don’t have them. Go ahead and apply and we can help you get certified before you start.

Join the army of people that care for the reefs!

More than a thousand volunteers locally from Mexico, as well as all over the world, have come to lend a hand to help restore the reefs. Let’s spread the message that change is possible.

Apply to be a volunteer

We are a small local Cozumeleño coral research and restoration non-profit. If you are searching for a dive aboard or workaway opportunities, other organizations would be a better fit. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any costs?

We only ask that volunteers pay $3 for the cost of each tank refill. As we are a small NGO, we want to stream as much money towards the restoration materials and coral research projects to help improve survivability of the corals against the various threats.

What are the hours like?

Once you are certified you can start volunteering with us as much as you’re available to.

 

Volunteers typically are here 4-5 days a week and we are normally closed on Sundays. A volunteering day typically starts around 10am until 3pm. It usually starts with a team briefing with Dr German then 2 scuba dives.

 

The coordination is done via our volunteer Whatsapp group.

What will I do as a volunteer?

Depending on the needs of the corals, a volunteer dive can consist of anything from tending to the coral nursery, monitoring research projects, deploying or removing sunshades that prevent bleaching and planting corals onto the live rocks on the Villa Blanca reefs.

If you have special skills like underwater photography or filmmaking, we’ll love your help in amplify the message for our cause through photos, videos, short films we can share on social media to get more funding and volunteers.

Do you provide lodging?

We do not provide accommodations but here are some suggestions: 

  • Budget: Hostelito (local hostel with volunteer discounts)

  • Mid-range: Airbnbs in Corpus Christi (10 min bike ride away)

  • Hotel: Hotel Villablanca (affordable, walking distance)

 

​We offer free bike loans to all volunteers!

How do I get certified before starting to volunteer?

We run the PADI Open Water Diver certification weekly every Monday to Wednesday and occasionally run extra courses on other days during high seasons on request.

 

We run the PADI Aware Coral Restoration Specialty weekly on Thursday and Friday so volunteers can get both certifications in 5 days.

​

Go ahead and fill out the volunteer form and we can coordinate course dates with you.​​

bottom of page